Cats and Dogs
by Arashi Kanashimi
Summary: In the first battle between Kakashi and Zabuza, Naruto and Sasuke saved the day.  But what they had failed? What if she had to instead?  Yes, that's right.  The number one assassin of all time is on Kakashi's doorstep, for better or worse. KakashixOC
1. Revealed!

**A quick note**: **Firstly I do not own any of the material used in this story excluding my own creations.**

This stroy starts when Zabuza and Kakashi are fighting for the first time. Kakashi is currently trapped in a water prison.

I am still pretty young so please excuse any mistakes. It would also be nice if someone could tell me how to spell shuriken. This is my first story. Hope you enjoy!

**Edit: I just changed the spacing to make it easier on the eyes. It's split pretty randomly. Please review!**

**Chapter 1: Revealed!**

She ran. Faster and faster, harder and harder. Her breath tore at her throat. "_On my own terms_." She would live by her nindo. No matter what. She skidded to a halt. Bushes blocked the path. Almost unconsciously, she scented the air. Blood, that rusty metal smell.

Ahead was her destination. She crouched low and slipped off her backpack. Her fingers scrabbled for the zip. She slowly opened the bag, all too aware of the "zzzzzzzzz" it made. She reached in and her fingers met smoothness. She grasped and pulled out a plain scroll.

The woman bit under her nail and watched as blood slowly welled from her digit. She thought for less than a moment before smearing her blood on the cream of the scroll. A small column of steam wafted up from the paper. "_Hand seals_." She worked rapidly.

As she finished the last seals, her palm slammed into the ground, little pinkie touching the scroll. Ancient marks spread from her open hand, winding out into the bushes. Birds stopped their songs and rabbits retreated to their burrows. The smell of the predator was near.

The bushes on the left rustled. Slowly and silently, at least 20 wolves slunk out. Their coats glistened as black as midnight. They regarded the woman with a calm familiarity. She nodded, acknowledging their arrival. She rolled up her scroll and stowed it back in her pack. "Transformation Jutsu." She formed the seal.

The woman's body shifted beneath her. Chakra powered through her veins, only to be forced back down. Then was not the time for a loss of control. Her nerves seemed to fizz slightly. She fought her way through a cloud of smoke. The world around her was enhanced, more vivid despite the change of colour to black and white.

She raised her tail and ears, signalling the pack. A smooth bubble of calm settled over her. She had always felt safe in this form. Nothing could hurt her. That is what she felt, even if she knew better. The wolf padded forward on stealthy paws. Nudging bushes out of her way, the creature peeked at the battle up ahead.

Before her blue eyes, a drama unfolded. A man was suspended in a water prison. Grey hair and one eye with the sharingan. Hatake Kakashi. A demon, for that is what he resembled, held it, his face twisted. That could only be Zabuza. A Zabuza clone fought with clones in bright orange.

Uzumaki Naruto's. They were seriously getting their asses whipped. Still, no hurry. The wolf signalled with her tail and the other wolves spread out behind her. Freeing Kakashi was top priority. But Zabuza and his clone were pretty formidable. "_First take out the clone."_

Naruto's doppelgangers were being demolished. The animal saw two Naruto skid across the ground. One transformed into a shuriken. Smooth. The other Naruto grabbed the shuriken and stuffed it in his bag. She wondered if Zabuza saw it. Naruto skidded to a stop. "I still have this!" he called in triumph.

He grabbed the Naruto shuriken and tossed it to Uchiha Sasuke. Sasuke leapt and caught the weapon. He carried his momentum into a whirling spin. He stopped, the shuruiken held by his face. "Windmill of shadows," he announced in a grave voice. Quite advanced, for a genin. Sasuke ran forward... and then suddenly disappeared. Within a second he appeared above the Zabuza clone and released the shuruken. It flew through the air. "You can't touch me!" Zabuza taunted. It flew past him. He turned.

His eyes widened in realization. The weapon was meant for the real Zabuza. After all, he couldn't dodge. The star of death spun closer and closer. The observer waited with baited breath. Like a bolt of lightning, Zabuza's hand ripped through air. His fingers closed around the blade. "I told you, a shuriken can't touch me!" he boasted. Then he froze. Another shuriken was speeding towards him. The wolf would have whistled if it could. It made sense now. Very, very smart. He couldn't catch.

He didn't have time to safely drop the other shuriken. The weapon was a blur of silver. The fact is: it should have hit. Unfortunately Sasuke's aim was a bit off, slightly low. With a tightening of muscles, Zabuza sprang into the air. The shuriken passed safely beneath him. He landed in triumph. A slight "tchk" came from behind him. He turned. 21 pairs of black ears pricked up as the owners heard a grunt of surprise. Blue eyes strained for a glimpse of the action. The original canine managed to get a view just in time to see Naruto in mid-air.

He shouted, "Take this!" and threw a kunai at Zabuza. The yell rattled all ears present. Hadn't Naruto ever heard of keeping quiet? As the kunai whizzed forward, time seemed to stand still. There's no way Zabuza could stop the knife, was there? Contact was seconds away. The kunai was mere inches from Zabuza's face. With a slight "swish", it whistled straight past his ear. All watching felt a numb disbelief. How could he have missed completely? The clearing was engulfed in silence. "Naruto!" Sakura growled, breaking the hush.

"Uh... water got in my eyes," Naruto excused. Then an eerie cackling flowed through the battleground. Zabuza threw back his head, helpless with laughter. The alpha's muscles tensed. He had dropped his guard. Now's her chance! She motioned for the rest of the wolves to stay put.

With a deep breath she crept forward. Paw over paw, silently. Everyone's gaze was fixed on Naruto. The wolf kept to bushes and long grass. Her dark pelt blended into the shadows. Only a few more metres to the clone. She could make it. At the edge of her vision the wolf saw Sakura turn away from Naruto, all huffy. She turned towards the creature. Half in a bush, the shadow froze, every ligament quivering. Sakura was still. "_Please let her not panic, please_." Sakura blinked, looked again. She opened her mouth, taking a big gulp of air. All at once, a deafening squeal burst from her lungs. "Aiiiiiiiie! It wants to eat me!" she screeched. The Zabuza clone turned in surprise. In a second he would see the wolf. She had to go for it, now!

She dashed forward and took a flying leap. He saw her. His eyes widened as she looked in them. She was a pace away. Almost. With a tightening of muscles he sprang back, out of range. The animal landed lightly. Damn it. Something skimmed her fur. She caught a strong scent of metal. A kunai shot past her, aimed at the Zabuza clone. This time it's a good shot. However, Zabuza had two free hands. He caught the kunai with an easy motion of his fingers. The wolf heard a trace of a muttered curse from Sasuke.

She glanced back at him. His eyes met hers and he nodded. Sasuke already knew she wasn't a normal wolf. She focused back on the Zabuza clone. His eyes sparked in annoyance. Clearly the wolf was seen as a mere distraction. Time to change that. She gave a commanding bark and her comrades stepped out of the forest.

The alpha crouched down. She was a hare's breath away from attack. Movement caught her eyes. Behind her, the real Zabuza reached for his shuriken. He grabbed four and flung them at her. Not good. Once again, something streaked past her and hit the shuriken in flight. The canine peeked back at Sasuke. Just as she suspected, he had his own shuriken in his hands. She guessed she could trust him to cover her. "Never let your guard down!" the Zabuza clone mocked. He burst into a run, sword in hand.

In a second, wolves surrounded him. He took a swing at the aplha. She skipped to the side and his sword sliced down a millimetre away. It hit the ground with a soft thunk. Zabuza tugged, but it was embedded firmly in the dirt. The alpha pounced. Around her, her brethren leapt too.

With a hiss, Zabuza left his sword and began making hand signs. They're so fast they blurred together. I had no time. In a split-second, a spear of water shot out of the river. It came closer, whizzing through the air like it really had been thrown. It skimmed past the other wolves, tossing them aside with casual ease. The alpha could feel the smaller globules of water spattering ahead of it. She leapt to the side and the water hurtled past her. Great. She had dodged it. Without warning, it suddenly twisted around.

She prepared to jump away again. Too late. The spear slammed into her shoulder. She felt her muscles tear and her blood pour. Pain raced through her nerves. She was tossed into the air. Everything passed by in a blur. With a thump, the wolf hit the ground. You could say the ground hit her.

She writhed in agony. She had to get through this. Through her torture she saw the remainder of her wolves surrounded her. She could feel the fuzzy blackness of unconsciousness creeping up into her head. One last trick. If it didn't work, she'd be as good as dead. She pictured _her_ face.

She pictured _it_ bloodied and broken. Then she imagined _it_ still and cold. In a moment, determination rushed through her. Adrenalin overrode the pain. She stood, wobbling, about to collapse. But her mind was clear. She pushed the throbbing of her wound away. Zabuza looked mildly surprised.

Obviously he thought the wolf was finished. She growled and sprang at him. Her comrades followed. Sasuke too. He dodged a canine, slashed at another one with a kunai. They kept him distracted but the attack didn't do any damage. The alpha just hoped that Sasuke could get in a blow.

For a moment she caught sight of him. He sneaked up behind Zabuza. She had to keep the demon really, really busy. She snarled and went for it. Zabuza got clear of her attack. She landed and sprang at him again. Her barrage was working. Zabuza was tiring now and focused purely on the wolves. The alpha heard a swish and Zabuza screamed in pain. He poofed into smoke. A kunai clattered to the ground. Sasuke walked over and picked it up. It's going great. Now they only had one Zabuza to deal with.

She readied her pack for the next onslaught. Zabuza was vulnerable. It was time to strike. The wolf checked on Sasuke. He was completely passive, his face smooth. What was going on in his head? I heard before I saw the "tap, tap, tap" his hand made against his leg. He was thinking of a pattern.

Hand signs. She let out a woo, telling her pack what to do. They moved, a blur of black. The wolves encircled Zabuza. Now, if Zabuza dodged Sasuke's jutsu, he would find them waiting. Behind her, she caught the odour of smoke. Fire style Katon jutsu. She would have been surprised. The jutsu was advanced. But she had read Sasuke's file. He was an exceptional genin. A fireball skimmed over the wolf's head. She felt her fur singe as it streaked past. Sasuke's aim was perfect. The fireball hurtled towards Zabuza.

He was frozen, trying to think up a move. The flames were almost upon him. His muscles tightened. He had made up his mind. With cat-like grace, he leapt away. Backwards and high. The water prison, without Zabuza's support shattered. Droplets sprayed outwards. Kakashi hovered for a moment before crashing into the water. The wolf's eyes eyes followed the tiny molecules of water that shot into the sky. She saw Zabuza, her newly-remembered enemy, still in the air. He lightly began his descent, making hand signs as he went.

For the first time, the canine was dumbstruck. The signs? What were they? She clicked. It was for that water spear jutsu from earlier. She saw a tiny ripple slowly swell. It raised up into the familiar spike of liquid. Hanging poised for a second, it was a cobra waiting to strike. With a sudden burst, it threw itself forward. Away from Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke and the bridge-builder. Past the alpha and her pack. Steadily but unsteadily her mind tottered toward an answer. It reached it, grasped it and she snapped into focus.

Zabuza was going for the utterly defenceless one. It was for Naruto! No one could reach him, except, maybe, her. The spear would pierce his heart, his lungs, his brain. It would be deadly and precise. The alpha looked at the boy. He still bobbed on the water's surface. Naruto seemed to come to the same conclusion as me, for he tensed and turned towards the shore. She caught a glimpse of his eyes. They shone with fear and a desperate need to live. Pretty blue eyes, just like _hers_. The wolf was suddenly jolted back into memory.

She saw _her_ _running. _Two cloud villiage ninjas chased _her_, their faces hidden in the dark. One made hand signs and a split-second later her _leg_ blossomed red. The ninjas advanced, slower now, for the kill. She ran to save _her_.

She ran to save him. Muscles burning, she sprinted like lightening across the ground. Five metres to impact. Still too far. Lungs burning, muscles straining. Three metres to impact. She'd make it! Her foot brushed against a stone. She lost her balance, righted herself, carried on running. She'd lost too much time. One metre to impact. She sprang into the air as she reached the water's edge. Almost there. She splashed into the water, just in front of Naruto. A column of liquid filled her view as it shot towards her.

No time, not for anything. No time to protect herself. At least she had made it. At least Naruto would live. The spear slammed her, threw her skyward. She watched the clouds come closer. With a sickening lurch, she fell back to earth. With the last of her strength, she solidified the transformation jutsu. The wolf's body relaxed. She was ready. Her shoulder wound would have prevented her landing on her feet anyway. There wasn't much of a point trying. She managed to twist her head downwards.

A couple of seconds from impact. _Goodbye world_. Searing orange filled her vision. Compared to the dull brown of the mud, it was like a flame. She shut her eyes, shielding them. _Wait, orange? _

_**So that's the first chapter. Please review! Feel free to tear me down. It's good for me, right? **  
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	2. Resolutions

**A note or two: My second chapter! Thanks for all of my two reviews! So I ask you again, please read and review so I can get some feedback! This chapter is very short. Enjoy it. Unfortunately it might be out of character as it is my first story and I have no experience of writing in character. Anyways, read on!**

Chapter 2: Resolutions

"-RUTO-KUN! LET THE POOR THING REST!" screeched a shrill voice. The wolf closed eyelids that were about to flutter open. No one could be that loud in her dreams. Which meant she was alive and awake. That was... unexpected. Finally she opened her eyes. The harsh light stung them and she blinked to adapt.

The brightness dulled a little when a shadow was cast over her, belonging to a...bright orange fuzzball? Naruto. There was a brief moment of silence before, "SAKURA-CHAN! WOLF-SAN IS AWAKE!" With a small lurch, the wolf sat up and looked around. Team 7 had seemingly made up camp.

A small fire burned. Around it sat the team. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were all about and unhurt. The bridge builder lay snoring in the grass. Kakashi was another matter. He was completely passed out. She could barely sense his chakra. He had over-exerted himself. It was just one more

thing not going her way. She tried to stand when she remembered her shoulder. With a bump she sat back again. Luckily it didn't hurt much. She gave it an once-over. The offending limb was clean and bandaged and smelt of disinfectant. The wound wasn't as deep as she had originally thought. A boy interrupted her thoughts. "Sakura bandaged you right up, didn't you Sakura?" Naruto said.

"Naruto, it's a wolf, albeit a highly intelligent one. It doesn't care who bandaged it up and it most certainly doesn't care about anything you say," Sasuke broke in.

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH SASUKE! SHE'S WATCHING ME! LOOK!" Naruto screamed back. It wasn't the wolf's fault she was examining Kakashi. "Awww. Too bad, Naruto. Looks like she likes an unconscious guy with porn in his bag more than she likes you." The wolf pricked her ears at that. _Porn? _

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH SASUKE!" Naruto screamed. The wolf inwardly cringed. All the boy ever did was shout. She could swear she was going deaf. It had been three days since the fight and Kakashi was still in a stupor. The bridge builder was still lazing around. Sasuke was still being an ass.

Sakura was still in love with him. The wolf's deadline was still pressing her. She padded to Naruto. As he stooped to pat her she reached past him and snatched some food from his bowl. Ignoring the shouts of outrage behind her, she left the camp and headed into the bush.

Once she was out of hearing of the camp, she stopped. Focusing, the wolf released the transformation jutsu. Back in her natural form, the woman focused her chakra to her hand. She pressed her hand against her shoulder. Muscles slowly repaired themselves under her expert touch.

When the ache had dimmed from a 5 on the pain scale to a 3, she stopped. The woman massaged her shoulder before giving it a stretch. It was nice to know she could use it in a pinch. Summoning her chakra again, she formed the sign for transformation jutsu.

As she changed back into a wolf,she gave a start. For a second, something familiar pulled at her senses. Something great and something hostile mixed. In another second, it was gone, whipped away by the wind. Shrugging it off, the wolf loped back to camp. Her shoulder was usable.

Great. The wolf probed the air. A new chakra was present in camp, or rather, an old one. Kakashi was nearly awake. The wolf increased her pace slightly. His recovery was important. Therefore his behaviour upon waking from a 4 day coma was also important. She trotted into the clearing.

The first thing she noticed was that team 7 was clustered around something. Peering past the ninjas, the wolf made out a moving shape, a gray-haired, one-eyed shape.

"Sensei, even though the sharingan is useful, if it has such a huge impact on your body, you shouldn't use it so much," the wolf could hear Sakura's scolding. "You were out of it for 4 days. Generally missions have a time limit. You can't over-exert yourself during every battle."

The wolf flicked a fly off her ear. "Sorry," Kakashi's voice was low and flat. Sakura seemed to soften slightly. The copy ninja surveyed his accommodation. "Nice," he commented. The wolf walked nearer. This was the important moment. Kakashi saw her and his pupil contracted slightly.

"So this is that wolf, huh?" he asked. Naruto jumped to answer, " Ye-."

"Got any food in your bag? She seemed to be pretty interested in it,"Sasuke interrupted, ignoring Naruto. Kakashi thought for a moment, "Only standard rations. There isn't anything that smells better than the stuff in your packs." The wolf finally stepped within touching range, hoping for a look in the mysterious bag.

Naruto reached out to pat her and she flinched away. She wasn't ready to get that personal. "Naruto, it's a wolf, not a dog. Don't try to pet it unless it comes to you first," Kakashi reprimanded. Naruto sulked, crossing his arms and puffing out his cheeks.

"Now to the mission," Kakashi paused, meeting his students' eyes. "You have to get back to Konoha, right now."

"WHAT?" Naruto yelled at his sensei. "We finally get a decent mission and you tell us we have to go back! No way!" The wolf sat down and watched. Kakashi gave Naruto a long look.

"Zabuza is only the beginning. Soon Gato will send others after the bridge builder, maybe even stronger ones. I'm not going to be able to fight for a while, a couple of days probably. By that time Gato will have found a new assassin and we will never make it to the bridge. If you head back now, you can get reinforcements and Tazuna might live to finish his bridge."

"It makes sense," Sasuke consented. Sakura nodded but her eyes were clouded by her crush.

"Come on Sasuke! You're just a scaredy-cat! We can take them, BELIEVE IT!" Naruto shouted. The sensei sighed. "Naruto, you can either go willingly or someone will just tie you up, probably with your own rope. Wouldn't you prefer not being the laughing stock of Konoha?" he half-pleaded.

The genin glared, blue eyes locked on gray ones. "FINE! But if we have to fight, you better not try to stop me sensei," Naruto puffed. The wolf let out a small yip-yap of amusement. The boy really was as clueless as a ninja could be. "Uh Naruto, I can't move properly. I can't come with you," the sensei said.

Naruto stared at him in disbelief. The Uchiha locked his fingers together and rested his chin on them. His eyes were slightly vacant for a moment before snapping into focus. "So who's leading the team?" he asked. Kakashi turned to him.

"Sakura," he answered, his voice steady despite his choice. The wolf, which had been waiting quietly, leapt to her paws and sprang away from the ninja, expecting Naruto's tones to explode. "BUT-," began the blonde ninja. He stopped and looked at Sakura. She was smiling. "I mean, nice Sakura. Great," he corrected quickly.

The wolf pricked her ears. Naruto had just been quiet. It could only mean one thing. Naruto had a crush on Sakura! She sighed. Fun times. Now Naruto wouldn't challenge Sakura and Sakura would do whatever Sasuke did. With a start she realized that was why Kakashi had done it.

He had put Sasuke in charge without Sasuke being in charge. Smart. Kakashi spoke again, "You need to go as soon as possible."

"You're assuming the assassins will concentrate on us. What if they come for you as well?" Sasuke questioned. "I doubt they will, and, even if they do, I have the wolf here," he replied. Sasuke nodded.

"There's water in the canteen over there," Sasuke pointed. "It should be enough to last you a couple of days. You have enough food. I suppose we should go then," he paused, "if that's okay with you, Sakura." The kunoichi bobbed her head. The genin grabbed their packs and shrugged them on.

Naruto woke up the bridge builder. He arose with a yawn and a groan. "We're going. Come on Tazuna," Sakura said. "Good luck Kakashi-sensei." With that, team 7 and their charge walked into the forest, their shadows melting into the gloom.

**You might of noticed the wolf is pretty cold. I hope you liked it. :)  
**


	3. Reptilian

**Hi everyone! Thanks to my reviewers and to those people who added me to their alerts! For this chapter there are a couple of things you need to know.**

**Basic anatomy of a syringe**

**Needle: that long pointy thing you stick into the person.**

**Tube: the body of the syringe**

**And a vial has a rubber top so you can stick a syringe in without the liquid having a chance to spill. **

**Last fact: Ookami means wolf!**

Chapter 3: Reptilian

Kakashi looked at his food and then back at the wolf that was giving him the puppy eyes shamelessly. He fingered a piece of meat, grasped it and flicked it up in the air. The canine jumped and caught it as it sailed downwards. She snapped up the morsel and gave a yap of thanks.

Kakashi allowed himself a small smile. It had been a couple of days since the rest of his team had left. He had regained proper use of his limbs, but they were still stiff and sore. The wolf had kept him company, even bringing him wood for the campfire occasionally.

She reminded him of his hounds. She was as intelligent as one of them and as human as, well, a human. The wolf padded to Kakashi's side and lay down beside him. She half-closed her eyes, feeling the warm sunshine massaging her fur. It brought sleepiness, but, before she could drift off into her dreams, the wolf's stomach rumbled.

Titbits weren't enough for her. With a sigh, the alpha stood up and trotted into the bush. Switching on her hunting senses, she crept silently through the grass. A bird flew above her. Mice pattered around in their secret tunnels. The wolf pricked her ears as she heard light paw steps.

She froze. A rabbit hopped into view. It munched at grass, completely oblivious to the predator. She crouched down and made her way forward. Barely three paces away, she stopped. The rabbit lifted its head and sniffed the air. Its ears quivered in alarm and a second before it could spring away the wolf grabbed it.

She killed it with a swift bite. Sitting on her haunches, she took a mouthful of the warm rabbit. Its strong flavours swept over her pallet. The canine devoured the rest of her prey. She buried the bones and walked on through the bush. She caught a glimpse of a puddle on her right and she veered from her path.

After a long drink, the wolf was ready to return to camp. She turned and loped back. The forest glowed in the soft afternoon light. It was like a giant sleeping lion. The wolf felt her fur prickle and she shivered. The forest wasn't sleeping. It was watching.

The birds were silent and the undergrowth was still. Pressing down her rising unease, the wolf increased her pace. She thought she smelled something cold, ancient. Focusing on the odour, she skidded to a stop just before the camp. On silent paws, she slowly continued.

She nosed her way through the bushes. On the other side was the clearing. Kakashi was sitting up, dead still, frozen. The wolf stared. He looked calm but his fear scent was in the air. Movement caught her eyes. The alpha turned her head slightly.

A snake slithered fluidly towards Kakashi. It had a bright yellow diamond pattern down its spine and its belly was dark brown. The wolf trembled. She didn't know its type, and she knew most snakes. Her animal instincts prickled. The snake smelt of death, the death it would bring and the death it had already brought.

The alpha crept after it. The snake rippled closer to Kakashi. He couldn't move fast enough to get away. His eyes flickered for a moment as he registered the wolf. The snake was closing in. With a cold sense of dread, the wolf knew it was after the jonin. It raised its head.

Kakashi stared into its eyes, two pin pricks of black flame. A wave of dizziness passed over him and he almost collapsed. It wasn't genjutsu, but it worked just as well. The wolf saw Kakashi waver and saw the snake rear. Before she could even start forward, it struck.

The snake's fangs sank into Kakashi's arm. He cried out and flung out his limb. The snake let go and was flung into the air. The wolf, seizing her chance, leapt and caught it by the tail. The evil creature hissed. It curled around on itself. Swinging in the alpha's jaws, it twisted and bit her on the nearest patch of fur- her chest.

The wolf, ignoring the stinging wound, shook the serpent from side to side until it went limp. She then threw it into the bush. Her chest was beginning to burn. She knew the venom was highly toxic. Her transformation jutsu released. The woman stood up very slowly.

The world was shifting beneath her feet. She took an unsteady step forward and fell over Kakashi. The woman crashed to the ground. She shifted until she was facing the jonin. He was unconscious. His jaw was clenched tightly and sweat was soaking through his mask.

His eyelid fluttered and a low groan escaped his moth. The serpent's venom worked fast. The woman grabbed Kakashi's bag. She emptied it out onto the ground. An orange book slid out along with an assortment of weapons. The woman tossed the book out of the pile and dug around in the heap of kunai and shuriken.

Her fingers closed around an object that wasn't made of metal and she pulled it out of the pile. It was a vial of green liquid. The label on the container was that of a general antidote. It would have to do. Holding the vial in one hand, the woman groped in the weapon pile again.

She felt plastic and pulled it out. In her hand was a syringe. The woman pulled the syringe's cap off with her teeth. She pushed its needle into the rubber top of the vial. A surge of nausea washed over her and she almost dropped the vial. She had to hurry, before the poison did its work.

She drew back on the syringe and the green antidote filled the syringe's tube. She raised the syringe, and, with almost no hesitation, plunged it into Kakashi's thigh. She injected half of the antidote and pulled the syringe out. Bracing herself, the woman pushed the syringe into her own thigh.

When she had emptied the remaining antidote into her bloodstream, she extracted the needle and dropped the syringe and empty vial onto the ground. A pain pierced the woman's abdomen and she gritted her teeth. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on her hands, forcing her chakra to her fingertips.

She laid her palms on Kakashi's afflicted arm and sent her chakra surging through him. It followed the venom's path, repairing any damage and strengthening him. He was good to go. Her body convulsed and she half-choked. She was running out of time. The woman then focused on herself.

She could feel the damage was worse than with the jonin. She focused on her chest, healing anything she could. A drop of perspiration ran down her cheek. Her "safe" chakra was coming to an end. To use any more would be very risky. The woman clenched her jaw and used the last of the chakra to burn off as much of the poison as she could.

As she opened her eyes, a world of dull, blurred colours confronted her. She almost toppled over. Catching herself just before she hit the ground, she straightened up again. There was no way the woman was going to stay conscious until the antidote took effect.

She brushed the dirt around her, clearing away Kakashi's junk. She shuddered. A knife of agony stabbed her chest. Her eyes rolled back and she hit the dirt. She remembered she had forgotten to transform back into the wolf. Too late now. At least her deadline would benefit. "_All this for my nindo. I must be going crazy._"

Warm breath tickled her face. _In, out, in, out_. Consciousness flooded through her. Every gasp of air hurt, but she had survived, again. The woman was vaguely aware of something warm against her neck. Slowly she opened her eyes. A fuzzy shape swam into focus.

A single grey eye stared into her blue ones, intensely close. She lurched up. Kakashi sprang away. "Sorry, just checking your vitals," he apologized. The woman nodded. Her throat rasped for liquid and her stomach yearned for nourishment. Her vision narrowed to her search for relief.

Seeing the canteen by her bed, she grabbed it. She took a huge swig of water before placing the canteen back on the ground. "Uh, can you talk?" Kakashi asked. She glanced over at him, "Yeah." Kakashi's shoulders relaxed. Evidently the idea of looking after an unknown mute woman wouldn't have appeal to him. "So who are you exactly?" he asked, scratching his head. The woman began rummaging in her bag, "I'm a ninja." Kakashi stared at her.

"Are you going to cooperate?" The woman stopped digging through the rucksack.

"That depends on the questions you ask." Kakashi cringed inwardly.

"What can I call you?" The woman popped a piece of jerky into her mouth and chewed vigorously.

"Ookami would be good I suppose." She swallowed the food. For a second, pain pierced the woman's skull. A gentle reminder of her deadline. She stared into the bush and wondered if _he_ was there. She thought she could almost feel _him_, feel Itachi.

**Please read and review! Please don't write any hate comments about...(you know who). It's ...(you know who), that's all.**


	4. Realization

**A very short chapter this time. Sorry. It's hard to write in the school term. Luckily in a week it's holidays again. Moving on, this is a bit ooc. Please R+R! **

Chapter 4: Realization

"_Lick, lick, lick_." Ookami struggled to shrug off the impulse to clean herself. Her tong wiggled around her mouth. Certain transformation jutsu side-effects were just plain unpleasant. A fly landed on her hand and she lunged for it before pulling back in annoyance.

Feeling the hair on her neck prickle, she whirled around. Kakashi hurriedly turned away with an amused snort. Ookami silently cursed the heat. It was the Land of Waves for crying out loud! It wasn't supposed to be an oven. It made her restless.

Another wave of boredom swept over her and she impulsively stood up. "I'm going for a walk," she muttered. The back of Kakashi's head bobbed up and down. Ookami strode away from him. Immersing herself in the woods, she drank in the aroma of damp.

Her footsteps were muffled by the leaves and for a second she pretended she was here for pleasure. A mouse dashed by. Her wolf instincts flared. Ookami broke into a sprint. It couldn't hurt to indulge her instincts. Suddenly she skidded to a stop.

The mouse scampered away and disappeared down its hole. Ookami didn't see it go. _They_ stood before her. _He_ smiled his rare smile and she felt her heart in her throat. _She_ glared at Ookami. "Kana-chan! Stop ignoring me!" _she_ exclaimed and puffed out her cheeks.

"_It's impossible"_. Ookami could barely see. Tears streamed down her face. She ran over to hug her sister. The little girl wrapped _her_ arms round Ookami's legs. Ookami gazed at her little sister. _She_ was a very little sister, a very, very little sister. _She_ was far too young. Ookami turned to _him_.

_He_ wasn't here. She was sure. She had watched _him_ die. She was trapped in genjutsu. Ookami's hands made the release sign but, before she could perform her escape, _he_ opened his mouth to speak. "Your deadline is near. Delaying will have unsavoury consequences," _he_ warned.

The figures of _him_ and her sister faded into the woods, Ookami staring longingly after them. Without warning, her head exploded into a whirlwind of pain. She crumpled to the ground. The agony was intolerable, unbearable. "Stop it. Please stop it," she whimpered.

"_Now. You will do it now,"_ a cold voice echoed in her head.

Ookami walked. Her feet dragged as if they were made of lead. She reached the camp and stepped into the clearing. Kakashi was reading his orange book. He looked up as she approached. "Hey, it must have been a long walk." Ookami stared at him. The sensei shivered. Her eyes were an impossible mixture of sadness and anger. "Are you okay?" he asked, unease creeping into his voice. Ookami was silent. "Why won't you speak?" Ookami gave a small smile but it never reached her eyes.

"You're an idiot," she said, the smile still playing on her lips. It was Kakashi's turn to stare. "My nickname is Ookami, my signature animal," she told him, her voice icing over.

"Ookami, what are you talking about? What's wrong?" Kakashi said, his voice unsteady.

"I know you can feel it," she summoned chakra to her hand and held it up for him to see. "It feels different, stronger, doesn't it?" The chakra dissipated.

"Why are you saying this?" Kakashi whispered. Ookami raised her arm in front of her and made a fist. "You've chosen to ignore some basic facts. Now it's going to cost you." She opened her hand and Kakashi's forehead protector was ripped off his head.

It flew through the air and landed in her hand."Metal manipulation jutsu." Ookami dropped the band and it fell to the ground. She reached into her bag and pulled out another headband. She put it on. Kakashi gasped. Ookami's forehead protector had the symbol of the Village Hidden in the Clouds on it. The mark had a ragged scratch straight through its middle.

The pieces of the puzzle fell into place. "You're Arashi Kanashimi, hired assassin of the Akatsuki."

**Well, what do you think? Please review because every time I get a review, it gives me strength to carry on writing. If I get no reviews, I might give up on this.**


	5. Replicas

**YAY! A new chapter! This is a bit crazy and it is fresh off the keyboard so there will be a couple of spelling and grammar mistakes. I will edit over time. Anyway, enjoy it. Thanks for the reviews so far and I would appreciate even more ones, even if you have already reviewed! This chapter might get a little confusing so get ready! (If it seems a bit dramatic, it was probably because I was listening to some emotional music.)**

Chapter 5: Replicas

"Why are you here?" Kakashi questioned. Kanashimi marvelled at his calmness. A smile curled on her lips. "Isn't it obvious?"

"You're here for me."

"Yeah, that's right," she answered.

"Why? They should barely even know about me, let alone want to kill me," Kakashi mused.

"Akatsuki doesn't share their motives. I kill who they tell me to. That's the end of my connection," Kanashimi informed him. Her voice was bleached of emotion, as if she had given this reply many times, "You have three options on how to handle this situation.

Deciding on one will save time later. Option one- you can give up. Obviously that would be best for me and I'd kill you with as little discomfort as possible. Option two- you can run. That's not really good for either of us. I don't like runners. Option three-," she watched the sensei, "we fight."

Kanashimi fell silent. The thought of fighting him wasn't appealing. He was tough. Any conflict would result in injury, not something she could afford as a wanted fugitive. "Well, which option do you choose?" she prompted after realizing Kakashi hadn't moved.

The sensei's closed left eye fluttered open. Kanashimi gasped as she stared into a blood-red eye. "_Sharingan."_ She took a deep breath and regained her composure. "You've chosen to fight. A bad mistake," she commented. "We'll see about that," Kakashi countered.

Kanashimi crouched down, Kakashi copying her. "Here I come," she called softly. She reached into the bag at her thigh and brought out a kunai. Kakashi mirrored her. They leapt and threw the kunais. Both weapons whizzed to their targets, both ninja dodging.

As Kanashimi's kunai flew past Kakashi's face, it exploded into a burst of purple smoke. Kakashi cursed and leapt clear of the fumes. His eyes suddenly widened and he made a hand sign. Two Kakashis poofed into existence next to him. "Lightning clone jutsu."

The Kakashis sprang into the air as three shuriken hurtled towards them. They caught the weapons in mid-air and hurled them back into the smoke. Three Kanashimis jumped into the open. One fell back to a nearby branch. The other two took up defensive positions in front of her.

The one forced chakra to her hand. She gathered it into a ball in her palm. Using her other hand, she shaped the chakra into a long pointed column. A bead of sweat rolled down her cheek. Kanashimi compacted the chakra until it was impossible to squash it more.

In her hand was an elegant sword, glinting blue. At the sight of the blade, the three Kakashis lurched into action. They grabbed kunai knives and charged towards Kanashimi. The Kanashimis separated, each meeting a different Kakashi. The ninja were blurs of shadow as they lunged and parried.

"No!" yelled the two swords-less Kanashimis. The silent Kanashimi managed to land a solid kick on her Kakashi and he was launched into the air. "Now!" she commanded. Two metal chains flew out of the quickly dissipating smoke, winding round the airborne sensei.

He was jerked to a branch. With a small wobble, he managed to land still on his feet. The Kanashimi with the sword landed on an opposite tree. "You know, I lied earlier. The Akatsuki doesn't normally tell me who to kill, they ask me," Kanashimi said.

"Then why do you want to kill me?" Kakashi asked. He knew he was trapped and may as well talk. "That's the funny thing. I don't want to. They had an ace, one I couldn't beat. I folded." Her voice was just a bit sad. "An ace. You mean Arashi Kanashimi has a weak spot," Kakashi taunted. He knew he had to make her angry, make her make a mistake. "Leave it alone," she growled.

"Because if you ever show any weakness, you'll be out of a job. Arashi Kanashimi will just be another poor soul living on the streets."

"SHUT THE HELL UP! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" she screamed and darted forward.

She drove her sword into Kakashi's chest. Blood seeped through his flak jacket. A shock ran up Kanashimi's arm. "Oh da-." Kakashi exploded into blue lightning, knocking all three Kanashimis and the remaining Kakashis to the ground. The clones, on impact, poofed, releasing a huge charge of electricity.

Kanashimi, the only one left, was blasted into the trees. She hit a branch and blood spattered out of her mouth. The assassin fell back down to earth, limp. She hit the ground with a small thud. With a rustle, Kakashi walked out of the bushes.

"I presume that earlier you smelled my other two clones weren't real. Unfortunately, you forgot to smell the one you trapped," he informed her. He walked until he stood right in front of her. Kanashimi dug her nails into the dirt and struggled to her feet.

Her skin was cut in a hundred places and blood dripped from her mouth. She opened her mouth. "Boom." She unzipped her jacket to reveal a handful of burning paper bombs. "Wha-," Kakashi started. They reached the end of their fuse and exploded. Kakashi was thrown backwards.

He landed on his back. It was Kanashimi's turn to appear from the bushes. "Oops. Your bad," she giggled. Suddenly she was dead serious. "Mess with the clouds and you're going to whip up a storm," she stated quietly. Kakashi looked up at her and she thought he grinned. Smoke burst from his body. "A shadow clone!"

"You know, sometimes, messing with the clouds can clear the skies," a voice spoke behind her. Her eyes widened as she whirled around. Kakashi was dashing towards her. His hand was ablaze with lightning chakra. "Raikiri!" he yelled. He stabbed at her.

Kanashimi dodged to the side, Kakashi's hand passing inches from her chest. Kakashi turned and made another lunge. Without warning, his hand jerked to the side, directing him away from Kanashimi. His hand dragged him past her. A couple of paces away from the assassin, Kakashi braced himself and leaned against his own arm. He turned unsteadily to look at her. "What did you do?" he asked.

"You have metal on your gloves," Kanashimi told him bluntly. Kakashi's raikiri faded and he used his controllable arm to grab the other hand. He ripped off the glove and his quivering arm stilled. "Smart," he commented. He took off his other glove. Suddenly his eyes widened.

The sensei sprang into the air. "W-what is that?" he murmured. Below him, only visible by using his sharingan, was a steady stream of chakra-controlled water with a surge of lightning chakra powering through it. Kakashi landed on a branch. He eyed the weird concoction beneath him. "Like my electric eel jutsu?" Kanashimi asked. "You have a nice sharingan there to be able to detect it. Very skilful."

"But how? You didn't even make hand signs," Kakashi said. The underground stream suddenly became an underground lake and power surged through it, almost blinding him. "Clones. Your sharingan can't tell how many I make. I have plenty. They perform all my hand signs."

Above them, clouds poured from the horizon, filling the sky with faded grey. Drops of water fell from the heavens, splashing heavily through gaps in the foliage. Kanashimi turned her face to the sky and embraced the coolness of the rain on her cheeks. The coming storm had heightened her reflexes.

She had clones waiting to defend. She could relax a bit. _Her_ image popped into the assassin's head. "Kakashi-san, do you have someone precious to you? Someone you would give your life to protect?"

"I guess, yeah," he replied, his voice guarded.

"How about someone you would sacrifice other people's lives for?" Her voice was bitter. "Someone who would be the key to controlling you?" she asked. Kakashi remembered her earlier words. _"They had an ace, one I couldn't beat. I folded." _She had said it lightly, but it had had a hint of desperation in it.

"There's always a way out, always a choice," he whispered.

A voice muttered next to his ear, "Not always Kakashi-san."

**SO? Did you like it? Please review. Also, for more about Kanashimi and her friends and family, check out my friend's stories. Her name's Arashi Haruka.**


	6. Relations

**Hi again! Thanks to my last chapter's reviewer! It's so nice to get a review like that. If you think Kakashi is a bit weak in this battle, remember the battle actually never finished properly. Anyways, please read and review! Every one counts towards getting over writer's block!And one last thing: flashback time! Italics=flashback or mention of a character from past.  
**

**This chapter is dedicated to my loyal readers. :)  
**

Chapter 6: Relations

Kanashimi pressed her kunai against his throat. Kakashi blinked and looked at the place where, a moment ago, she had stood. Empty space stared back at him. On the forest floor, the electric eel jutsu ceased. The underground lake seeped back into the soil, leaving a cavern in its place.

Two Kanashimi clones walked out of the bushes and hopped up beside Kakashi and his metaphorical jailer. The rain seeped through Kakashi's clothes, chilling him to his core. "How?" he asked. Kanashimi tightened her grip on the kunai. "The rain, it's my jutsu. I summoned a storm. When my electric eel jutsu surged, you were blind to any other jutsu. The storm increases my speed. It was the perfect opportunity."

"And you say you can't beat the Akatsuki," Kakashi pointed out, "I told you, there's always a way out. You just have to be ready to take it." The words sounded familiar. Kanashimi eyes misted. It was impossible. They were _his_ words.

"_No, you can't die. Please no!" she cried. _

"_It's okay Kanashimi. What will be, will be," he whispered. His warm breath tickled her cheek as she hugged him close. "Please, I need you. What will I do without you?" she murmured._

"_I believe in you." He coughed, blood winding down from his mouth. "You have to go. They're coming," he stroked her cheek. "Be strong." She gently lowered him to the ground. Kanashimi stood up and walked to the edge of the clearing, where her sister was waiting. Tears streamed freely down her face. "And Kanashimi," he called softly, "remember, there is always a way out. You just have to be prepared to take it." She nodded._

"_I love you," she said._

"_Love you more," he chuckled before coughing violently. Kanashimi turned away, taking her sister's hand. She glanced back at him. "What will be, will be," she whispered, too softly for anyone to hear. With a small pull, her sister tugged her away from him. She turned back to the forest and sprang away into the shadows. Behind her, she felt his chakra snuff out. _

A single tear ran down Kanashimi's cheek. Her arms fell limply to her side. Kakashi felt the pressure of the kunai against his throat cease and turned. He found himself eye to eye with the listless assassin. The sensei fingered the zip on his flak jacket.

There was a deeper meaning to this battle; he just didn't know what it was. He did know that what he said would determine his survival. He also knew all murderous thoughts had left Kanashimi's brain. "Look," he placed an awkward hand on her arm, "I get you have problems but I'm sure you can overcome them. You're strong enough."

Kanashimi stiffened. She broke away from his grasp and put her back to him. With her body as a shield between them, Kanashimi blinked, trying to clear her watery eyes. She had to do has _he_ had said. She had to be strong. When the tears had receded to a safe distance, she stowed away her kunai knife. Her clones faded away. "Thank you Kakashi-san." Her voice was close to breaking. "I guess I should be going."

"Why? What are you going to do?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm going to rescue the Akatsuki's ace, of course," she turned and smiled wobblingly at him. Her eyes were the only give-away of her inner conflict. The assassin could feel the sadness sitting on her chest like an anvil. She shrugged it off. She would save her sister, no matter what.

"I don't think so," droned a low monotonous voice.

**Not to silly, was it? Anyway, once again, read and review please. Also I need a couple of ninja from villiage hidden in the clouds, so if you want to be in my story, put your character in a review or pm me.**


	7. Rescue

**Yo! Greeatings and sulatations. Thanks goes to my reviewers. This chapter is pretty confusing if you are bad at visualizing things. Never fear though, I will explain all the jutsu later on. So please read and review. And enjoy this chapter.**

Chapter 7: Rescue

Kanashimi froze. She breathed as deeply as she could before slowly turning around. A man in a black cloak with red clouds stood half-immersed in the bushes. Kanashimi barely registered the clothes. All she was focused on was his kunai pressing against her sister's throat.

She raised her gaze and found herself looking into crimson eyes. Three tomoe orbited black pupils. "Itachi, nice of you to drop by," Kanashimi said, but she was focused back on her sister. "Well unfortunately Akatsuki thought you might have doubts. I'm here to make sure you get the job done," Itachi explained.

"Ah, I presume your genjutsu is why you have been chosen." Itachi nodded from behind Kanashimi's sister. "We need to know you will do whatever we ask, no matter how distasteful you find it. You know what will happen if you do nothing." Kanashimi swallowed.

"No need to get all doomsday-prophetic about it," she remarked. "If I refuse, you say you'll kill my sister. On the other hand, if you do you would lose a big asset since I'd never work for you again."

"Your time away from the Akatsuki has brought some defiance. There's always a cure for that," Itachi warned. Kanashimi's head suddenly started to throb. "You wouldn't kill her unless push really came to shove," she gasped through her pain.

"I know I wouldn't, but, I would injure her enough to need urgent medical attention. That would make you act." Kanashimi started towards him. She stopped after a step, her face ashen. She collapsed, squirming on the ground. "Sorry. You're not coming any nearer. You kill Kakashi or she dies," Itachi told the writhing assassin. "Since I won't be able to heal the fatal wound I'm about to give her."

Kanashimi screamed, clutching her head. Through her clouding vision, she saw her sibling watching. She pushed past the agony long enough to open her mouth. "No, Haruka," she whispered, her crystal blue eyes locked on their sister's. Another wave of pain hit and Kanashimi scrunched closed her eyes.

She grounded her teeth. Her muscles refused to move, involuntarily shutting down from the assault on her brain. "You care about a complete stranger as much as you care about your sister. How sad," Itachi murmured. He drew back his kunai. With a glance at Kanashimi, he moved the weapon over Haruka's stomach.

His muscles tightened as he thrust the kunai to the flesh. Kanashimi flinched away at the movement and waited to hear her sister scream. "Well, it seems someone has Stockholm syndrome," Itachi's voice drawled. Kanashimi turned back to him. Kakashi was standing next to the Uchiha.

His hand grasped the deadly kunai, a few millimetres from Haruka's skin. A thin line of blood flowed down his hand, the only clue as to how tightly he was holding the weapon. Her eyes widened. Kakashi had saved her. "There's always a way out," Kakashi said. Kanashimi nodded.

"Concentrate," Itachi warned. He let go of the kunai and swung his other fist towards Kakashi. The sensei ducked and grabbed Haruka, somersaulting her over his back. Kanashimi's headache eased as Itachi stared at Kakashi. She staggered to her feet. "Haruka, are you okay?" she asked.

Her sister nodded. "Stay back," the assassin ordered. She stepped towards the other two ninja. Itachi sprang back and made the tiger seal. "Fire style Fireball Jutsu." He belched out a huge flame. Both Kanashimi and Kakashi made hand signs. "Earth style Earth Prism."

The ground shuddered and rose up, swallowing Kakashi. "Water style Liquid Suit." A spring of water erupted from the ground, dousing Kanashimi's body and forming a protective shell around it. The fireball engulfed the pair. Kanashimi felt its intense heat pass over her.

The warmth intensified and she realized her water was evaporating. She renewed the armour. The spring was being sucked dry. She gathered the remaining water in her hands. "Water style Human Extinguisher." Bending her knees slightly, Kanashimi focused on the hottest point, the place nearest to Itachi.

She raised her arms and shot water into the sky. It fell back to the ground, creating a small opening in the fire. Itachi stood, still breathing fire, revealed by the gap. Kanashimi sprang upwards. The opening closed but she knew. She could target him. She aimed in mid-air. "Take this!" she cried, flinging streams of liquid.

The fireball shrank. It gave a last dying hiss before disappearing completely. Kanashimi landed back on the ground. Kakashi's earth prism collapsed as he burst out. "Is everything okay?" he inquired, combing his fingers through his hair. "Yeah. You better be ready to help though.

I'm running a bit low on chakra," Kanashimi replied. He nodded, "Sure." He suddenly stared at Itachi. "Get down!" he yelled, grabbing Kanashimi by the waist and pulling her to the ground. A spear of water shot over their heads. "I really am beginning to hate that jutsu," Kanashimi fumed.

The spear turned for another swipe at them. "Earth style Shield of Dirt." A mound of earth formed before them. Kakashi compacted it into a tight wall. The spear of water slammed into the shield. Kanashimi watched as the earth grew dark with moisture. "We need to go on the offense. We can't avoid his jutsu forever," she advised. Kakashi nodded. "I have a move. However the jutsu cannot be aimed," Kanashimi said.

"We don't exactly have many options right now. If it will work..." Kakashi trailed off.

"Okay. Then get yourself and my sister below ground." Kanashimi hopped out from behind the shield. She drew out kunai from her bag at her hip. The weapons were tied to a ring with steel string. At the corner of her vision, Kakashi's hand reared up from the ground and pulled Haruka down.

Kanashimi tied a steel cable around her waist. She knotted the cable around the ring connecting the kunai. Itachi watched, mildly interested. "Here we go! Spinning Storm!" Kanashimi shouted. She held the ring above her head. She spun around, faster and faster. Kunai shot out from her in all directions.

Itachi dodged them easily. Kanashimi finally stopped twirling. Kunai were embedded in rocks and trees around her. Steel string ran back to her, linking the assassin and her weapons. "Phase two, the thunder release." Kanashimi gathered chakra in her hands. She concentrated.

Slowly the chakra became spikier and the air became charged with electricity. She spun again, this time in the opposite direction. Lightning streamed along the metal string, striking erratically out from the cable. The earth rose around Itachi, making the familiar prism.

He was safe from the lightning. Kanashimi skidded to a halt, panting slightly. "Phase three, water release." She pulled water from the ground. It circled up her leg and into her palms. She aimed and shot it straight at the earth prism. Silently, she watched as the earth became darker and wetter. Kanashimi sent a final spurt of water at the prism.

Inside the prism, Itachi had a bit of a problem. The water was soaking through the roof of the earth capsule. It was slowly dripping through. The ground was already sodden with the earlier rain. The water had nowhere to go down. The only available space was up.

Itachi swept his hair out of his eyes. The water was already soaking through his shoes. He had to go out and trust his reflexes to protect him from any attacks. He took out a kunai and released the prism jutsu.

Kanashimi peered intently at the earthen chamber, trying to determine the moment of Itachi's breakout. She saw a tiny crack appear. It snaked its way along the prism, spreading into a mega split in the shelter. The assassin rapidly gathered more water and chakra in her hands.

Again she spun, as fast as humanly possible. She listened intently for any sign of Itachi. A sharp crack echoed through the clearing as he burst out of the prism. Kanashimi released her water and chakra. Bullets of electrified liquid sprayed the clearing.

Itachi fell to the ground, shuddering from the electricity burning his skin. He managed to crawl under a low-lying bush. It sheltered him from the water missiles. The turning Kanashimi slowed to a stop. She dropped to her knees. Her chakra was low. Every breath seemed to contain too little oxygen.

She had forgotten how much that jutsu took. Clutching the dirt, she pushed herself back up. Itachi was also struggling up. Suddenly a hand shot from the earth, grabbing Itachi's ankles. He was pulled into the ground, until only his head showed. Kakashi emerged from the dirt next to him.

He pulled himself out and brushed off some of the clods of soil lingering on his clothes. "Earth style, Head Hunter Jutsu." Despite Itachi's capture, something was tugging at Kanashimi's gut. Why hadn't he used genjutsu? Obviously it wouldn't work on Kakashi, but what about her? As if on cue, her head began to pound. The last of her strength drained from her muscles and she crumpled. "Kana-chan!" a familiar voice yelled. Haruka scrambled out of the ground and ran to her sister.

"I'm fine. I just need a bit of rest," Kanashimi mumbled. She noticed Kakashi was watching her. "Can I help you?" she asked. Kakashi shook his head.

"Just thinking." He stuffed his hands into his pocket and walked over to his head band, picking it up and putting it on. A small poof came from behind him. The ninjas stared. Smoke was dissipating from where Itachi had been. "It was a shadow clone all along," Kakashi murmured.

"Does that mean the battle isn't over?" Haruka asked, her voice quivering slightly.

"If it wasn't over, he wouldn't have waited for us to find out about his clone. My guess is he is tucked away safely somewhere far away," Kakashi answered. He frowned. "We need to focus on the matter at hand. You are both fugitives. It is my duty as a shinobi of the village hidden in the leaves to take you into custody. Will you go quietly, or must we fight again?" he challenged. Kanashimi sighed.

"I had hoped you wouldn't remind me. I would have preferred to walk into the village seemingly of my own will."

"You planned to go there?" Kakashi questioned.

"Actually not until a minute ago," Kanashimi smiled.

"Why?" Kanashimi turned to the sensei.

"I suppose you're not really used to the Akatsuki's way of thinking," she mused. "Otherwise, you would have got it."

"Got what?"

"That battle was too easy. I've sparred with Itachi before and I know how strong he is. He let me get Haruka back and he wants me to know it. On top of that, I was to assassinate you, a shinobi of Konohagakure. Right now, you leaf shinobi are trying to track Orochimaru. Am I right?" Kakashi nodded. "Orochimaru, an ex-member of the Akatsuki. Akatsuki always has a plan B. This time, plan B is to track down Orochimaru and, most probably, kill him."

"So you are still in league with the Akatsuki?"

"Actually, I think they are offering me a way out. I get my sister and in return, I get to track a known criminal. That's hardly a crime." Kanashimi massaged her temples. "So are you going to tie us up, or can we be free?" Kakashi thought for a moment before making a hand sign.

"Shadow clone jutsu." Another Kakashi poofed into existence. "You can walk freely, but my clone will be keeping an eye on your sister," he decided.

"Great." The assassin paused to sniff. "Hey, have you got any food?"

**So? How is it? By the way, a side-effect of the wolf transformation is an increased appetite. That explains a lot. So again, REVIEW! Please...**


	8. Relaxation

**Hey! Thank you to my wonderful reviews! They made my day! Anyway, sorry I haven't updated for a while but I first had exams and then holidays and was busy dominating on Minecraft...I'm sure you know how it goes...**

**So here it is. With pride, I present to you:  
**

Chapter 8: Relaxation

"Hokage-sama?" Kakashi called.

"Come in." The gray-haired shinobi motioned soundlessly to Kanashimi to wait. Her hands were tied for the visit, not improving her darkening mood. Kakashi opened the door and walked in. He shut it quickly, not giving Kanashimi the chance to follow. "Well Kakashi, I hear your mission was an interesting one," the hokage said. Kanashimi bent close to the door to hear the sensei's reply.

"Yes. I presume Sasuke would have told you about the wolf," he replied.

"He did."

"The wolf turned out to be Arashi Kanashimi, the Akatsuki's assassin. She was hired to assassinate me." The hokage raised an eyebrow. "We fought it out. I found out that she had been black-mailed into her mission. She had a change of heart during the battle and tried to leave to rescue her sister, who was being held hostage and was used as a remote to control Kanashimi. However, Uchiha Itachi pitched up with her sister and we fought to free her, succeeding in the end. Unfortunately Itachi turned out to be a shadow clone."

"And?"

"Kanashimi wants to join our ANBU trying to find Orochimaru. She believes it is her ticket out of the Akatsuki."

"And you brought her here?"

"Yes." The hokage sighed.

"Alright, bring her in." Kanashimi put her shoulder to the door and pushed. It swung open unexpectedly easily and she stumbled in. Kakashi turned to look at her. "Never mind," the hokage muttered.

"Good morning Hokage-sama," Kanashimi bowed her head in respect.

"Good morning Arashi-san. I hear you want to be part of our village."

"I do."

"It seems you are honourable enough, based on Kakashi's report. You realise it will be a complicated process, especially since you are a fugitive."

"Yes."

"First, our ANBU will have to torture you to make sure your intentions are honest. Then I'd have to negotiate with the village hidden in the clouds. After that, we'll have to put you through a test to see your various skills. Finally, one of the jonin will have to keep an eye on you for six months. Are you sure you want this?"

"Yes."

"Very well. I believe Ibiki has time to interrogate you. Kakashi-san, I expect you to organise it and to make sure she stays out of trouble." Kakashi scratched his head.

"Sure, sure."

Once again, Kanashimi bowed her head. "Thank you Hokage-sama. You won't regret this."

Kanashimi gasped for air. She clutched her wrist tightly, shaking it to relieve the pain. She knew she was tiring quickly but she had to get stronger. If that meant breaking in her kekkei genkai, so be it. Again, the assassin focused her chakra to the soles of her feet.

The energy jerked through her chakra network, flooding and suddenly trickling. Kanashimi's shoes blazed with light before it dimmed to nothing. She focused and the chakra steadied. Eyes closed in concentration; she stepped onto the tree trunk in front of her.

She took one pace up the tree, then another. Without warning, her chakra withdrew and she fell flat on her back. The kunoichi lay, utterly exhausted, unable to get up. In the distance, she heard team 7's voices. "HEY! YOU'RE LATE!" Sakura and Naruto screamed in unison.

There was a low buzz in response, a voice too soft to make out words. The buzzing fluctuated in pitch. Kanashimi suspected it was an apology. The buzz turned to a commanding tone. There was a muffled response and all became quiet.

Kanashimi sighed. She still couldn't muster the strength to get up. "I thought you'd be training instead of relaxing." Kanashimi almost jumped up. Her sore muscles gave her another dose of pain at her attempt and she settled back down with a thump.

"Well, if I could get up, I would be," she told Kakashi harshly. She glared at the smug ninja. "Are you going to help or not?" He held out a hand. Kanashimi shakily raised her arm. Kakashi grasped it and, with an almighty jerk, pulled her to her feet.

Kanashimi winced as her body protested. She tipped over, only for Kakashi to catch her. He propped her against a tree trunk. The sensei surveyed the bark of the trees, noting the footprints on them. "How long have you been going?" he asked.

"Since dawn." Kakashi frowned.

"You don't have a lot of chakra if that's the time you could train for." Kanashimi sighed. Kakashi didn't even know. "I meant yesterday's dawn." Kakashi's eye stared at her unbelievingly.

"No way. What about sleep and food? Don't tell me you forgot about them."

"Ok, I won't tell you." Kakashi eyeballed her. He reached into his bag and brought out o-nigiri.

"Here." Kanashimi sullenly took it from him. "You need food to replenish your chakra while training. It's the same with sleep," he lectured. Kanashimi swallowed a bite of the o-nigiri.

"Maybe I was trying to run down my chakra." She gulped down the last bit of rice. "I need to be able to control _it _better."

"Are you mad? The last thing Konoha needs is an outburst! Just using that chakra is risky and now you're experimenting to see how much you have? In this state, if Bakuhatsu tried to break out, you wouldn't have the strength to stop it!" Kakashi shouted in outrage.

"I didn't know you knew what it was..." Kanashimi trailed off. She took a deep breath. "Look, I'm sorry. But don't you understand? I've been given a chance to have a life, to give my sister a life. If I screw it up, well, I don't know what I'll do," she pleaded. Kakashi visibly softened and relaxed his shoulders. He sighed heavily. "I understand. Though at least let someone watch over your training. You can't endanger your chance in the village so recklessly." Kanashimi hesitantly nodded.

"Ok." Kakashi exhaled.

"Do you need any help getting home?" Kakashi asked. Kanashimi's face coloured to a rosy pink. She mumbled something and shrugged. He arched an eyebrow.

"Well...I...uh...I...I don't you know...really have...you know..." she stammered.

She was pretty sure that under his hitai-ate the other eyebrow was raised. "I don't really live anywhere much," she finished lamely. Kakashi surveyed her silently. His cool gaze sent a shiver up her spine. 'What?" she defended. "It's not like I would ever go home anyway, what with training and helping out at the hospital."

That at least got a vocal reaction from the sensei. "You work at the hospital?" he questioned. She nodded.

"I have basic medical jutsu and I figured it would be the best way to get to know the shinobi in the village."

"At least tell me you've been sleeping somewhere."

"Well, if there's space, I normally just find a spare bed in the hospital. If there's nowhere else, the forest is comfortable enough." Kakashi continued his staring.

"What?" Kanashimi exclaimed.

"You need to eat and sleep properly."

"I have-"

"No. You haven't. Ignoring your needs is just going to kill you." He looked at her sharply. "You need to get an apartment or something." He paused. "Or do you want me to find you one for you?" Kanashimi gaped. "Since when did you care so much?" she remarked sharply.

"Since the hokage put me in charge of your well-being. If I don't do my job, I'll have him scolding over my shoulder." Fury welled in Kanashimi chest.

"So that's all? I'm just your job?" she shouted. Kakashi gazed into her tearing eyes.

"Is this really still about me?" he asked pointedly. She glared at him, eyes a mixture of anger and pain. "If-" he began but she was already gone.

**Cliffhanger...kind of. So? Please review! You might have noticed Kanashimi's still slightly self-destructing...kind of. And I'm finally ahead of publishing so expect weekly updates!  
**


	9. Room

**Hey my dear readers! Sorry I havn't updated, I'm still getting over writer's block. But I have the rest of my storyline planned so it's all good! I hope you like it. Please read and review. And tell me who you think Haruka should end up with!  
**

Chapter 9: Room

Kakashi made his way back to Konoha at a good pace. It wasn't too fast. He didn't want to seem too worried. He entered the village soon after departing for it and slowed down a bit. Kanashimi wasn't some kid. She wouldn't do anything crazy.

He got out his book and continued walking, dividing his attention neatly between the pages and the street. In the Icha Icha world, things were getting pretty heated. In the moment of Junkimi's passion, he stopped scanning the street.

His shoulder connected with someone. "Oh sorry," he mumbled and half-looked up to make sure the person wouldn't hurt him because of his book. Instead of meeting the annoyed gaze of some unfamiliar woman, he saw Kanashimi.

She was frozen, a look of something that resembled shock, disgust and terror clearly shown in her wide eyes. "Uh..." Kakashi trailed off, slightly worried by the expression. Green caught his eye and he turned to see a spandex-wearing man with a ridiculous haircut.

"Ah, Kakashi my eternal rival," Gai exclaimed before suddenly putting an arm around the said rival's shoulder. "Do you know who this blossom of unstoppable beauty may be?" he asked in a whisper. Kakashi nodded slowly. "Well?" Gai prompted.

"She's Arashi Kanashimi. She's new to the village," the other man answered.

"Is she okay? I just said hello and she went all stiff and scared," Gai explained hastily. Under his mask, the sensei smirked slightly. Visibly, his eye smiled reassuringly, "Yeah, she's fine. She's just a little shy. It might help if you went away," he finished pointedly.

Gai nodded sternly and saluted the deadly still kunoichi. He turned on his heels and whisked away. Kakashi grasped Kanashimi firmly by the shoulders. "Snap out of it!" He raised his voice and shook her violently. Her eyes focused for a brief second. "He tried to flirt with me," she muttered before her eyes fluttered close and she went limp.

Kakashi closed his eye for a second as he tried to ignore the piercing stares of the women. Opening it again, he felt the back of his neck prickle. Glancing around, it was all too apparent the villagers were glaring suspiciously at him.

He put on a half-pleading expression, the kind of look that would normally make the villagers decide he was innocent. This time however, it had no effect. He saw a woman lean over to her friend and heard a muffled whisper, "What do you think he did to that poor girl?" Kakashi winced and picked up his pace a little.

It occurred to him that Gai should have been the one carrying Kanashimi. Kakashi shifted his burden to a more comfortable position. Suddenly Haruka rounded the corner, sprinting at lightning speed. "KAKASHI-SAN!" she screamed, features filled with fury. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SISTER?" The sensei took a step back.

"Uh, how about you ask Gai?" he deflected. Haruka cracked her knuckles. "Nothing, I swe-." His begging fell on heartless ears.

"GET HIM!" Haruka ordered, pointing at him for the dimmer humans. Half the people watching came closer, every step menacing. Kakashi would have laughed; the situation was almost the kind of thing Naruto would get caught up in.

But it was happening to him and it wasn't a joke for his body, the body that was about to be pummelled by a hundred fists. He groped in his hip-bag and brought out a purple capsule. He chucked it to the ground and it cracked, releasing a cloud of dark smoke. The crowds broke up as panic ensued and the sensei successfully slipped away into the darker and safer alleys.

Kanashimi's eyelids fluttered open. With a groan, she came back into the world. Doing her customary once-over, she discovered she felt unusually frisky and happy. It must have be some sort of medical ninjutsu.

Quelling the springiness inside her, she lurched up from her comfortable bed. _Wait, bed?_ Looking around her, she suddenly noticed she was in some room, very neat and normal-looking. It was strangely empty, lacking the lived-in feel of most homes.

And she knew she was in a home, hospital beds were never so nice. She drew back the duvet and stood up. Her bare feet were caressed by the polished wooden floor. Edging over to the door, she peered around it cautiously.

On the other side was a well-furnished open-plan living room and kitchen. She noted again that it looked barely used. A figure stepped into view. Kakashi, reading his customary novel. _So, then I'm in his bedroom._ Horror suddenly filled her.

_Oh please no._ She whirled around and checked the bed sheets. They were smooth and tidy, not rumpled at all. She quickly ran through her memories. No getting drunk that she was aware of. Maybe it hadn't happened. "Hi." Kanashimi spinned around again.

Kakashi was leaning in the doorway his eye slanted in a smile. She dashed up to his face and examined it through his mask. She stared into the now slightly confused grey eye. _No, he isn't doing the look._ She almost fainted with relief.

She hadn't had sex with him. _Whew! _She realised she was still inches from him. Kanashimi drew quickly back. He looked at her, slightly worried. Kakashi shrugged it off and handed her a slip of paper. In a scrawl of a hand, a couple of numbers and words were written.

"People who can help you get an apartment," Kakashi explained.

"Uh, thanks, I guess," Kanashimi mumbled, thoughts of her being in his bed still running through her head. He watched her for a moment. "Now would be good," he prompted before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Kanashimi stared at the spot, where a moment ago, a shinobi had stood.

Quelling the blush that was creeping to her cheeks, she thanked her lucky stars nothing had happened. Nothing needed to get any more complicated.

**Please review! I know this chapter was a little weird. More adventures soon, Dattebayo!**


	10. Rations

**Hello there! Here's the next chapter! Enjoy and read and review!  
**

Chapter 10: Rations

"Kakashi-kun!" Asuma called. "Can you give me a hand?" He was struggling to restrain a crazed Choji. The chubby boy was sprinting on the spot, kept in place by Asuma. The sensei was desperately hanging onto a pole with one hand and holding Choji's scarf with the other.

Kakashi briefly enjoyed the spectacle of the man slowly being pulled apart before grasping the offending boy with both of his hands. The force behind the run was nearly enough to make him lose his grasp. Taking a better hold, he hauled him back a few inches, just enough for Asuma to tie his scarf to the post.

Choji finally screamed to a stop as the scarf tightened round his neck. The two jonin collapsed beside him, panting. "What happened?" Kakashi gasped.

"He heard Kanashimi-san was having a feast over by her apartment. We have a mission and I couldn't let him skip it just for food." Asuma gave a signature grin. "It sucks a little. I've heard about Kanashimi but I still haven't had the chance to meet her. You know they say she almost took down you, Kakashi-san."

Kakashi ignored the last sentence. "Why would she be having a feast?" he asked.

"I guess she needed to get rid of the food in her apartment before she goes on that big mission."

"What mission?" Kakashi was even more confused.

"For that answer, you'll have to ask her yourself." Asuma patted Choji on the back. "Ready to do _our _mission now?" Choji nodded, face purple from strangulation. "Are you sure?" He nodded even faster. Asuma got out his kunai and cut the scarf off Choji. The boy immediately turned tail and made a run for it.

As the two remaining shinobi watched his rapidly retreating back, Kakashi said, "Why don't you take some other genin along? It would be easier than getting Choji again." Asuma nodded and gave another smile. With a half-salute and a relaxed "See you!" he turned and walked off leisurely.

Another knock thudded on the door. "Coming!" Kanashimi hurriedly put down her spoon and made a dash for it. Opening it, she saw Naruto waiting outside. "I smelt the ramen," he explained bouncily, tapping his quivering nose. He froze. "Hey aren't you the lady who came to the village with Kakashi-sensei?" he exclaimed. She nodded.

"My name is Arashi Kanashimi."

"Then maybe you know what happened to the wolf?" he asked. Kanashimi chuckled, "I am the wolf." Naruto looked at her blankly. "I was using a special type of transformation jutsu."

Naruto breathed out, "I still don't really get it but, whatever, just as long as there's ramen." She nodded and ushered him in. Inside, Kiba, Choji, Hinata, Haruka and Shino were sitting by the kitchen counter. "HEY GUYS!" Naruto shouted enthusiastically, before taking a seat next to Kiba.

Kanashimi hurried back to the kitchen and continued her cooking. Chatter filled the air as Naruto nattered about his favourite kinds of ramen. Glancing over her shoulder, Kanashimi surveyed the genin. Shino was Shino, serious and silent. Hinata was equally so, but blushing a deep scarlet. Naruto and Kiba were arguing, the loudness of the conversation blurring the words. Haruka was watching them. Choji was dead still, eyeing the food in the kitchen greedily.

"It will just be a few more minutes," she told him. She swept the prawn tempura onto a platter and plonked the sushi beside it. She rapidly filled a little cup with sweet chilli sauce and placed that on the platter as well. She set the ramen beside it. Putting everything on the counter, she admired her handiwork. "Well, dig in!" Kanashimi exclaimed.

The genin grabbed chopsticks and piled into the food. Munching filled her ears. Suddenly there was a banging on the door. She strode over to the handle and turned it. Pulling the door open, she surveyed the man in front of her. "Kakashi." He ran his fingers through his hair.

"Hi."

"Oh, uh...come on in." She stepped aside and allowed the jonin to pass. Closing the door behind him, she eyed his back. "Can I get you something to eat?" she asked. He turned.

"I'm good thanks." At the sound of his voice, the genin turned, curiosity on their faces.

"What are you doing here Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto sounded peeved at the idea of sharing more food. Kakashi waved his hand dismissively. "I just came to talk to Kanashimi-san," he told the annoyed blonde. He focused on her. "Privately please," he told her softly. She nodded and escorted him into the laundry room. "What is it Kakashi-san?" she asked and her eyes seemed genuinely confused.

"I heard you're leaving on a mission."

"Yeah," she exhaled. "The Hokage-sama let me start participating in normal village life early because of the circumstances."

"You mean your sister?"

"Yep. The elders figured I wouldn't run as long as they had her." She sighed. "I guess I was hoping people would trust me on my first mission. Instead the ANBU are going to be watching me the entire time."

"What is your mission?"

"The ANBU has a new lead on Orochimaru. I'm going to be assisting with any tracking. It's basic enough. Why are you so concerned?" She was aware of the confines of the room, of how Kakashi was uncomfortably close. "No reason," he shrugged and walked back into the kitchen area before she could question him further.

**I hope you enjoyed it! I'll try and update soon. :)  
**


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